7 Wellbeing Tips for Teens

Developing a strong sense of wellbeing during the teenage years is one of the most valuable keys to living a healthy, balanced and authentic life despite the challenging circumstances of the time.

Adolescence is a phase of intense physical, mental and emotional development for all of us. It is during this period that our journey of self-discovery gains a unique momentum... As we struggle to adapt to the changes in our bodies on the one hand and to find a place in society on the other, the line between the past and the future blurs. This can lead us to feel stuck between “child” and “adult” identities and lose sight of our present selves.

In today's context, the picture is a bit more delicate... With pandemic constraints, societal instability and the effects of natural disasters, the factors affecting the development of our youth are ever-increasing. This is why knowing that well-being is a multifaceted, unconditional and timeless concept, and adopting healthy living habits that are in harmony with its essence, is especially vital for young people trying to grow up in today's world.

In this article, we share approaches that can make the journey of growing into adulthood healthier and more balanced...

Wellbeing Suggestions for Teenagers

First let us state that no matter what stage of life we are in, if we want to live well, we need to take a holistic approach to our physical, mental and emotional health. Because these three fundamental aspects interact tremendously, meaning that what affects one inevitably shapes the others. Therefore, it is valuable to consider the following self-care suggestions in terms of their holistic benefits for young people.

Balanced Nutrition

During adolescence, our diet is subject to many influences, from school schedules and extracurricular activities to personal relationships and social media “comparisons”. This in turn may cause some of us to seek happiness in unhealthy foods or to stop eating altogether in order to be thinner. But nutrition is not just a fuel to get us through the day or a means of ‘sizing’. It is also a dynamic that supports the free flow of our life energy, thus allowing our cells to thrive, our minds to work efficiently and our moods to be centered... 

That is why it is valuable to determine a diet that is healthy for “us”, free from internal and external judgments as much as possible. To do this, we need to balance our mealtimes and include seasonal fruits and vegetables, whole grains and proteins in our meals instead of processed and fatty foods, and focus on water, mineral water and herbal teas instead of sugary and carbonated drinks. Making this a habit now will help us gain a lifelong positive perspective on nutrition.

Being Active

Between the stress of exams, the desire for acceptance and worries about the future, adolescence is like an immense cluster of negative emotions. If left unmanaged, these emotions disrupt our inner balance and invite more serious health problems such as anxiety, depression and addiction. Therefore, we should regularly include activities that reinforce our positive feelings in order to get closer to balance again. Even if our schedules are packed, we can devote 15 minutes a day to walking or jogging, do yoga or aerobics in our comfort zone or in nature, and make room for activities that appeal to our core, such as swimming and cycling. This not only regulates our circulation and promotes the release of "happy" hormones like endorphins, but also brings us back to the present and allows us to objectively observe our own physical, emotional and mental state.

Focusing on the Present

During the teenage years our thoughts and emotions can be caught between memories of simple but joyful childhood and the desire to be a responsible yet respectable adult. But if we ignore who we are in the present, we can neither bid a tender farewell to our past identity nor build our future identity in the direction we intend. Because detachment from the present goes hand in hand with alienation from the essence. The first step in understanding who we are, who we want to be and who we can be is to take notice of our current environment, our senses and our feelings. This allows us to see current problems more clearly and respond to them calmly with the solution potential we have right now. 

While there are many activities we can do to return to the moment, mindfulness practices such as meditation, pranayama, and journaling are among the most beneficial. Spending 10 minutes a day to turn inward and practice mindfulness helps us to focus on the present instead of the fragments of the past and the uncertainty of the future. This allows us to reconnect with our core and discover ourselves in all our light and dark sides, to develop self-awareness instead of self-criticism, and to shift our perspective from negativity to peace and hope. In this way, we can view our being in light of our own values rather than external perceptions and step into a more balanced adulthood with realistic intentions.

Refreshing with Personal Care

Trying to manage our individual changes and meet environmental expectations, on top of the challenging conditions of our time, can make it even more difficult to take care of ourselves in our youth. Sometimes we may even think that self-care is selfish. But the opposite is actually the case... Each component of self-care, including the other approaches listed here, are valuable and necessary supporters of becoming a more resilient, authentic and reliable individual. 

While personal care is a very individual journey for each of us, it generally involves taking a respite from the everyday flow and connecting with our body, relaxing our mind and uplifting our spirit. Sometimes this can be taking time for skin and body care at home, sometimes it can be creating meditative moments by spending quiet time in our own space. At times having a nature walk alone or with friends, other times experiencing several versatile therapies  at a spa or wellbeing center with the family. Self-care is a never-ending process and it is essential to incorporate it into our flow regularly at every stage of our lives, both to nourish our holistic being at present and to enhance our sense of connection with our environment.

Growing with Creativity

During adolescence, our minds and emotions begin to oscillate between the stability of academic teachings and the instability of personal change. So, even though we have a deep desire to express ourselves, we can become uncertain about how to do it. At times like these, instead of running away from ourselves by watching TV or surfing social media, we should look within and connect with our creative selves. What we create doesn't have to be perfect or liked by others, what matters is that we express ourselves in our own unique way. If we aren't sure of how to do this, we may ask ourselves what subjects we like best or what kinds of activities have made us the most alive or relaxed so far. For example, if we enjoy music, we can focus on what our favorite instrument is and try playing it. If we like books, we can try to write short stories. If we like original dishes, we can try to create new recipes. It also allows us to discover our strengths and build a strong foundation on which we can continue to build for positive growth.

Embracing Nature

We live in a modern age and almost everything is at our fingertips. We can play games on our mobile phone, order anything from the internet and learn everything we need from online sources. But being constantly immersed in technology not only distracts us from the moment, it may also weaken our immunity and adversely affect our mood.

Nature, on the other hand, brings clarity to our minds by helping us focus on the present with its varying colors, movements, sounds and smells. She lowers our stress-related cortisol levels and reinforces our positive feelings of affection and connection. She also supports our immunity thanks to the phytoncides released into the air. So, whether it's a walk in the woods, a picnic with friends, or just stepping on the ground and basking in the sun, embracing nature helps us feel more grounded and centered, and ultimately evolve in a healthier and more connected way.

Building Healthy Relationships

Spending time with the people we value in our lives and surrounding ourselves with people who understand and support us is very beneficial for our mental and physical health. Indeed, establishing social relationships with individuals who are compatible with our essence helps us  develop a sense of belonging at the societal level and shake off of our stress given the confidence of expressing ourselves comfortably. We have to emphasize the phrase "compatible with essence" here, because we all have a unique individuality, and not every relationship has to be right for us. This is why we need to first learn to accept and love ourselves as we are. Only in this way can we develop the awareness of saying “no” to unappealing demands and determine which relationships are suitable for us. And eventually, we can develop loving relationships with people who accept us for who we really are and who both can help us grow and can grow with us.

As a result, our health as young people is directly linked to taking care of ourselves physically, mentally and spiritually. For this, we should allocate time to rituals suitable for our body, add mindful practices that nourish our spiritual aspect into our lives, and support ourselves with relationships suitable for our essence. We should know how to ask for help when we need it in the face of physical changes such as skin problems and emotional changes such as intense stress and anxiety. And when we feel exhausted, we should be able to give a break to the intense flow…

We wish you to grow in trust, love and balance!